monies of the scripture, are so exprefs for it; which ends our answer to this particular.

CHA P. XVII.

The

The fourth part of the objection ftated and confidered. Chrift's death and fufferings confeffed to, and refpected they were beneficial to falvation. light of Chrift within is the efficient cause of salvation completely taken.

H

AVING confidered the third part of this great objection, I am now come to what chiefly ftumbles the people, with refpect to the light within, at leaft as I apprehend; and that in this fourth and last particular; viz. But if the light in every man be Chrift, how doth it bear our fins, and how are our iniquities laid upon it? and how can we be faid to be justified, redeemed or faved by its blood, fince all thefe things are fpoken by the holy pen-men of the Man Christ, or Jefus born at Bethlehem? Surely you wholly invalidate his life, death, refurrection, afcenfion, and mediation, by this belief of yours in the light within.'

This I take to be the very ftrefs of the matter, collected out of the most forcible writings of our adverfaries to which I anfwer, and let him that reads understand.

It must be confidered, in this laft part of the objection, how those questions can be applicable to the light, and yet be reconcileable with thofe fcriptures that feem to attribute all to his bodily fufferings. I hope to make appear, that as we exalt the first, so we dare not by any means to flight the laft.

The light, or rather HE that is light in man (for fo I have always defired to be understood; light being a metaphor, or a word taken from the outward day, and chiefly fo termed, because of man's darkness, which is thereby discovered) hath been, according to fcripture,

as

as a "Lamb flain fince the foundation of the world:" that is, the world had not long been created, before man, being envied by Lucifer the fallen angel, was betrayed of his innocency by him; and fin, by difobedience, prevailing, the light, or principle of life, under whofe holy leadings man was placed, became refifted, grieved, and as it were flain: which word flain is alfo metaphorical. That is to fay, the innocent pure life was, as it were, wounded unto death, through disobedience; and that lamb-like image, in which Adam was created, by him through rebellion loft. Thus that holy principle, which God placed in the heart of Adam, in which was true light, life and power, bore the fin, was pressed under it, as a cart under fheaves, grieved exceedingly, and, as it were, quenched with iniquity.

This hath been the condition of that precious and elect feed, spirit, light, life, truth, or whatever name equivalent any may please to give it, ever fince that first rebellion, to this very day. And as, in wicked men, God's holy light and fpirit, or that principle which is fo called, hath been deeply wounded, yea, as one flain; fo in good men, that have had a sense of the world's abominations, hath it alfo borne many burdens and weights; for the light and life is ONE in ALL, though not treated alike in all: and those who have been reformed by it, and joined to it, have been as one fpirit, and have not been without their share of the Lord's heavy fufferings from the ungodly world; which was as well a filling-up of Chrift's fufferings that were before his outward coming, as what to this generation are yet behind to be completed.

And as at any time difobedient men have hearkened to the still voice of the word, that meffenger of God in their hearts, to be affected and convinced by it, as it brings reproof for fin, which is but a fatherly chaftifement; fo upon true brokennefs of foul, and contrition of spirit, that very fame principle and word of life in man, has mediated and atoned, and God has been propitious, lifting up the light of his countenance,

and

and replenishing fuch humble penitents with divine confolations. So that ftill the fame Chrift, Word-God, who has lighted all men, is by fin grieved and burdened, and bears the iniquities of fuch as fo fin, and reject his benefits. But as any hear his knocks and let him into their hearts, he first wounds and then heals; afterwards he atones, mediates, and re-inftates man in the holy image he is fallen from by fin. Behold this is the ftate of reftitution! and this in fome measure was witneffed by the holy patriarchs, prophets, and fervants of God in old time, to whom Chrift was fubftantially the fame Saviour, and feed bruifing the ferpent's head, that he is now to us, what difference foever there may be in point of manifeftation.

But notwithstanding it was the fame light and life with that which afterwards clothed itself with that outward body, which did in measure inwardly appear for the falvation of the fouls of men, yet, as I have often faid, never did that divine life fo eminently fhew forth itself, as in that fanctified and prepared body: fo that what he then suffered and did in that transcendent manifeftation, may, by way of eminency, have the credit of the whole work unto itself that he ever did before, or might do afterwards, for man's falvation. For doubtles the very fame light, life and power, which dwelt in that flefhly tabernacle, eminently was the Convincer, Condemner, Saviour and Redeemer: yet not only as confined to that bleffed body, but also as revealed in the hearts of men; as he was in Paul; who, not confulting with flesh and blood, against the Lord of glory, did willingly receive him in, to bind the flrong man, fpoil his goods, and caft him out, that he might reign, whose right it was. And that the divine life, light, fpirit, nature or principle, which refided in that body was the efficient cause of falvation, obferve the title that is given him, from the great work he was to do, namely, "To fave his people

from their SINS;" there is not one word of wrath, but confequentially. Now, fince that fin is in the heart and confcience of mankind, nothing but a di

vine light, fpirit or power, can reach and convey purity into those inward parts, and confequently that must be the Redeemer and Saviour from fin. But in

deed, those who have a mind to naturalize that frange figure into the language of the holy truth, (I mean, that to be faved, is only to be faved from wrath, and not from fin, whofe affured wages is wrath) may have fome intereft, though no reason, for their implacable enmity against an inherent holiness.

But I farther confefs, that his righteous life, with respect to its appearance in that holy body, was grieved by fin, and that the weight of the iniquity of the whole world, with the concernment of its eternal well-being, lay hard upon him; nor was his manhood infenfible of it. Under the load of this did he travail; alone" he trode the wine-prefs;" that is, all others were then infenfible of that eternal wrath, which would be the portion of impenitent perfons; as well that it was his great care, and deep travail, that the holy, yet oppreffed feed, might arife over the preffures of iniquity in the hearts of men, to bruise the serpent's head in all: and as outwardly he gave his outward life for the world, fo he might inwardly shed abroad in their fouls the blood of God; that is, the holy purifying life and virtue which is in him as the Word God; and as which, he is the light and life of the world.

This was it which gave the manhood the understanding it had, and fitted it for fo great an embaffy; by whose power alone it fafted, prayed, preached, caft out devils, wrought miracles, lived that most unblemished life, patiently fuffered death, was raised for an holy confirmation, maugre all the military oppofition of the Jews: and this divine power it was which accompanied the miniftry of his followers, rendering it efficacious to conviction and converfion: fo that the invisible, fpiritual and divine life, principle or nature, was the root and fountain of all which is fometimes afcribed in fcripture to the body, by that common figure, or way of speaking amongst men, the thing con

taining,

taining, which was the body, for the thing contained, which was the eternal power, wifdom, life, &c. Not that we should irreverently rob the holy body of whatfoever acknowledgment is justly due, nor yet separate that which God hath joined: though I confefs, with holy fear, I dare not attribute that to an external prepared being, which is the natural, proper, and only work of the divine light and life to operate and effect. But certainly, if fome men in fcripture are entitled faviours, because of the contribution of their trials, travails and labours towards the falvation of mankind, of much more right is that honour afcri beable to him "who had the spirit without measure:" for I do freely acknowledge the holy manhood to have been, in some sense, a co-worker and partner with the divine life in thofe trials, weights, fufferings, and travails for mankind. Yet, as it was the divine power that gave them weight in that great work, fo was it the divine life in him which made that holy manhood what it was; and therefore ought we, chiefly, to appropriate the falvation to Chrift as the Word-God, and to the holy manhood but fecondarily and inftrumentally; I mean, as it was a chofen inftrument or vessel, in and by which God declared the bleffed glad tidings of love, and his meffage of reconciliation to the world; in which he gave the most heavenly example of purity, and through whose whole life, doctrine, and death, did fhine forth the clearest evidences of truth, goodness, mercy, patience, deep travail for the world, felf-denial, holinefs, and triumphant martyrdom.

No wonder then if he be called a Saviour, who not only came on an embaffy of falvation, but when come did draw many after him, who were ftruck with the authority of his fayings, and whom he allowed for a time to have their eyes and hearts upon him, as in that state present with them; but afterwards, he let his difciples know, of how much benefit it would be to them, that he fhould leave them: how? for ever, and in all capacities? No: but as with refpect to his outward appearance, that being scattered, in that day,

to